moonsilk stitches

More to show!

2012-02-10T19:25:00.000-06:00

I'm on a roll with finishing things this week, mostly thanks to Lelia and my EGA chapter. On Tuesday night Lelia led a class in making these nifty mixed-media needlebooks. Her gift to each of us was a little tatted caterpillar or butterfly that she made. Her kits were awesome, with plenty of bits and pieces to play with. My dictionary page has "twinkle" and "twirl" on it. (that's why I picked this kit)

I added some bits from my stash (the fortune cookie fortune and Italian stamp).

I added some embroidery after I got home, a bit of sparkle. A comment from World Embroideries prompted me to buttonhole stitch the edge. I happened to have the perfect color blue floss right there so it was quickly done. It was a really fun project. As it says--play!

Here's the whole outside cover.

And here's the inside with the felt leaves for my needles. It was done just in time for the Broken Needle Festival this week. I didn't do anything (yet) with the bent and broken needles I'd saved. The week's been too busy for me to have any concrete thoughts about it. I really enjoyed Plays with Needles post about what she did.

The other thing I did this week was to (try) to make a mari for stitching a temari with Homewood Guild in March. It's not very round but I think it's done. Perhaps a good roll around on the kitchen counter...

Finishes!

2012-02-08T11:51:00.000-06:00

I've been working on either some longer-term projects or guild projects I can't show yet. Last weekend I really felt the need to finish something, so I completed some smaller and quick projects for that instant gratification. It felt so good!

This cross stitch was a holiday gift, a kit from DMC with scented floss. The off-white floss did smell nicely of vanilla as I stitched the flower. I had it about half-way done so it was pretty quick to finish up. The backstitching wasn't as bad as I'd expected. There was a lot of it, though.

These buttons were a kit attached to a recent "Molly Makes" magazine (issue 7). I didn't use their patterns, but made up some of my own. I wanted them to look like I'd cut them from old dresser scarves. I used the fabric, threads and button forms from the kit and added the brown, ochre, and yellow flosses from my stash.

I found these sweet little hearts on the Purl Soho blog. The center seam is actually an opening to a little pocket--a sweetie or two can be tucked inside. Purl Soho used their beautiful wool felt; I stocked up on what is available--felt from Jo-Anns, with a skein of DMC variegated perle cotton. They worked up quickly. I hope to make more before Valentine's Day. Every time I make a project with felt, I realize all over again how much I enjoy working with it.

No matter how much I enjoy my "real" embroidery projects and feel I should devote what stitching time to them alone, I've realized I need the balance of quick, fun projects like this. I'll give them away, poof! they're gone, and I didn't learn anything new or improve my skills, but they add necessary sparks of color and fun to my days. The plain old joy of needle and thread.

Winner and a heartfelt giveaway

2012-02-07T18:05:00.013-06:00

Random.org selected #18 today--Mimi is the winner of the needlepoint bracelet.

(I wish I knew how people got the image of the generator with the selected number in their posts--I can't figure it out).

The next giveaway is a Valentine's Day giveaway of hearts. Three are hand-embroidered Hardanger embroidery finished on metal forms as necklaces; the fourth is a lacy collage pin. Two also have hand stitched ribbon embroidery.

And, yes, 1 and 3 are pretty much the same. I taught this project at a couple of embroidery groups.

To enter, please leave a comment on this post, indicating which heart you prefer and an easy way for me to get in touch with you. The first person random.org picks will get the heart they choose. If the next selected person wants the same heart, I'll write with a choice of one of the others.

The giveaway ends one week from today, on Valentine's Day (noon, central time).

Good luck!

Memory Wire Dragonfly Repost

2012-02-04T14:29:00.001-06:00

Since it looks like I have some new readers lately, thanks to Craft Gossip, I thought I might give you something to look at. This is a tutorial I posted last year, on how to make a tiny dragonfly embellishment, using DMC's Memory Thread. Enjoy!
In 2010 I designed this project for the Homewood Embroiderer's Guild, to teach in spring 2010. I wanted a charm to go on the panel but couldn't find one I liked, so I devised this dragonfly from DMC Memory Thread to add instead.You can make your dragonfly any size you want. These are about 1-1/2" to 2". To begin, cut a piece of Memory Thread about 6" to 7" long. Do not use your good scissors for this--there is wire inside this thread. It's thin but will still mar your nice scissors. Use wire cutters or old scissors.Fold your Memory Thread in half.Tie an overhand knot in the Memory Thread at the cut end.This is the head. Tighten it so that you have antennae of maybe 3/8". You can trim them later if they're too long but you can't make them longer.Now push the Memory Thread up toward the head so it bows out at the sides to form wings. Or pull it apart to make the wings. Make them what ever size you want.Twist the wire just under the wings.Don't worry about the shape, that comes next.Shape your wings like you want them and then twist once at the base of each wing. Continue to shape it until you're happy.That's it. I tacked the dragonflies to the felt at the twists. For this project, it didn't need to do more but you can also tack it down just above the head and at the tip of the tail, too. I found the cut ends fuzzed a bit--if you don't like that, fray check the thread before cutting it, let it dry, and then cut your thread to size.

books and magazines

2012-02-03T15:05:00.000-06:00

I've expanded my lists of books and magazines for sale now. The pile is a tottering 5' tall. I've mostly added new magazines in the last few days. The lists are bare bones--just title, author, date, publisher, and perhaps a note on condition. The magazines include current ones and some antiques. The shaded titles are on hold. If you're interested in perusing the lists, please e-mail me and I'll send them your way.

Crewel Friday

2012-02-03T07:21:00.003-06:00

It's been a while. I decided to begin working on the mounds at the bottom and they're taking a lot of time.

I have issues with long and short stitch. I want it to be flowing and elegant. I feel that I'm generally too heavy handed and that my stitching is too dense. I'm working hard on improving as I stitch the mounds. I've penciled in a lot of guidelines to follow--they really help keep my stitches going in the right direction.

I didn't want them to be left to the last--they're slow going and not as much fun as the colorful leaves.

Field trip to Geneva, IL

2012-02-01T18:17:00.001-06:00

Last weekend a group of us from the Homewood Embroiderer's Guild ventured out to Geneva, IL and Designer's Desk Needlework shop. Details and photos are on the Homewood Guild blog. The photo above is the group at lunch--a requirement for any successful outing!

Tuesday's Giveaway

2012-01-31T13:35:00.001-06:00

This week was easy; there was only one comment. Gill is the winner of the ribbon embroidery pin.

This is a needlepoint bracelet I stitched for a guild project a few years ago. The colors are actually a bit less purple--the reds and blues are more distinct from each other. Above is side one, below side two. There is a different needlepoint stitch in each square. The squares are about 5/8" each.

The bracelet is elastic and is surprisingly easy to wear for looking so clunky. I have a second pastel one I made for myself and I wear it often.

If you would like to win this bracelet, please comment on this post, including an easy way to get in touch with you. Good Luck!

Sorry, the deadline for these giveaways is one week from posting. I'll pick the winner next Tuesday, February 7, at noon Central U.S. time. Anyone, anywhere may enter.

Oh, My, Goodness!

2012-01-30T17:41:00.000-06:00

Mary Corbet of Needle 'n Thread and Evan of Evertite Stitchery Frames sure know how to make a girl feel special!

I was blown away when I opened the box with the prize I'd won in Mary's Twelve Days of Christmas drawings. Look at this card--it was right on top of all of the colorful wrappings.

Right below it was the letter listing all of the goodies in the box. I'd expected a small box with the two sets of frame bars and a small tool. I'm still wowed by this extravaganza!

I set about unpacking and unpeeling yards and yards of plastic tape and bubble wrap, periodically running out to the kitchen where hubby was trying to make us some dinner and telling him he just had to look at this or that...

Here it is all unwrapped. In addition to the two pairs of frames, there were two tools, a bag of tacks , some little rare earth magnets and a large magnet in a holder--I'm not quite sure what that's for yet.

Here it all is so you can actually see it.

I haven't had a chance yet to put my Tanja Berlin needlepainting robin onto these bars but I'm sure it'll be wonderful. The project has been languishing because the fabric needs to be kept drum taut and so each time I take it out, I have to laboriously untack the very-closely-placed tacks around it and restretch it. By the time I do that, my stitching time is used up.

The centers on the bars are already marked, with nice long lines (not my random pen or pencil scratches i make where I hope it won't get on the fabric). They're beautifully made and very smooth. I can't wait to try them out.

They're available in the Chicago area at Designer's Desk. I know 'cause on a weekend trip out that way, some more sizes of Evertite Stitchery Frames jumped into my shopping basket and came home with me.

Thank you very much, Mary and Evan! You certainly made my week!

Some lovely gifts

2012-01-26T18:35:00.001-06:00

I'm sorry things are so dull here lately. I feel that work has eaten up my life. I've done an odd bit of stitching here and there, but not much at all. Last week, on the perfect day when I really needed a boost, I received a late Christmas gift. It was very welcome! It included an abundance of chocolate, which I've been using for motivation on late nights at work.

And also some chocolate scented thread!

I haven't seen this year in the U.S. yet, but DMC has a line of scented floss in the U.K. Above is chocolate and below is a kit that includes vanilla.

I was intrigued and began stitching the kit last weeknd. As I stitched with the cream-colored floss, I did get a mild scent of vanilla the entire time. It didn't bother my allergies at all and is very pleasant. The scent is more apparent when stitching than in the skein.

This book was also in the box of goodies. It's from the 1930s (if I remember correctly) and has lots of interesting projects and crafts from candy making (including a simple fondant recipe for "the little ones") to how to weave chair seats from rope. A recipe for making your own gesso paste sounds like great fun--but I suspect I may have trouble finding French glue and "best" whiting.

This page illustrates leatherwork projects.

And this one an embroidery sampler (opposite a discussion on perspective drawing).

"Reggie" (for Regency Guy) came to live with us a while back. We never realized how lonely he was until Jane appeared (yep, for Jane Austen, I'm not terribly creative). I love the jaunty feather in her hat and her shawl. Their faces make it clear they were made by the same person. They're now quite happy together.

This glorious "scrap" of fine lacis (a needlelace stitched on a netting grid) was the wrapping for Jane to keep her safe during shipping. It is gorgeous. The lacis and the post today on the "Ivory Blush Roses" blog has me really inspired to work with whites.

Plays with Needles isn't going white but her silvery winter neutral palette is very appealing, too.

Pear pincushion winner and new giveaway

2012-01-24T14:58:00.000-06:00

Random.org picked #2 today, so Terryb is the winner of last week's drawing for
the embroidered pear.

This week's new giveaway is a pin to wear, in time for Valentine's Day. The smaller lace trimmed oval is actually the pin. It has silk ribbon embroidery roses on ecru moire fabric. It seemed to get lost to me--it's about an inch long--so I crocheted a heart to go underneath it and highlight it. The two are not attached so if it seems too much for you, you can leave the pink heart off.

Same rules--anyone, anywhere may enter by leaving a comment on this post. I'll pick a new winner next Tuesday. Please make sure I have an easy way to get in touch with you. Good Luck!

Way too many books

2012-01-20T18:22:00.000-06:00

On Christmas Eve we had the great book landslide. We ran out of bookshelves, oh, about 20 years ago and being the readers we are, just began stacking them. I have three stacks next to my chair that act as a side table but..boom, crash, they all tumbled dramatically as I was wrapping presents. Later that day a stack of antique magazines took a similar slide and that was the straw.

The cosmos is telling me that there is just too much stuff.

So for the last few weeks, I've been spending Saturdays clearing out. I've gone through my dresser, jewelry, a bookshelf in our bedroom and our main bookshelf in the living room. Last Saturday I moved books around until I had a clear space in which to pile up books and magazines that need to go. (I also set aside two huge bags of needlework books for a niece--she and her husband will soon rival us in the book department--makes me proud!)

Anyway. I've listed the books. Old and new (1908, I think, to 2006) and magazines and booklets (again early twentieth-century to the present day), rare and not so rare, mostly needlework and set some requested prices--they're negotiable. Price, plus exact shipping costs to wherever you are. (If you're in the Chicago area, let me know and perhaps we can work out a visit to the piles.)

The thing is, I can't list or show them all here for sale (it's a free blog, not a commercial one). Right now all I have is a pretty bare bones typed list--author, title, publisher, date and price (based on online research). If you are interested, let me know by e-mail and I'll send you the list. Most of the books are available somewhere online so they're easy to research.

That stack shown above is about a quarter of what I eventually want to sell. I just don't have room to pull them all out and have them available at one time. I have a pile about a yard high of old needlwork magazines, Modern Priscilla mostly, from the early twentieth century, mostly 1910 to 1930. So the sooner this batch sells, the sooner a new list will be available.

First 2012 finish

2012-01-18T18:16:00.000-06:00

I can't believe it's this far into the year before I've finished a project. Work is taking up far too much of my time and energy!

I finished my hat, based on the pattern by my sister-in-law. I think it's sweet. The pattern called for tassels but I received a pom-pom maker for Christmas so I made pom-poms instead.

But it's a tad to small for my large head. I've promised it to a friend who seemed quite happy.

I really liked making this but I'm not sure about the yarn (a bamboo blend). It's soft but that softness makes it slide off my head (well, that and the fact that it's too small). So, I'm going to try to find the color in a woolier yarn. I'm itching to start another hat, though, I really enjoyed stitching this pattern.

Winner and new giveaway

2012-01-17T12:47:00.000-06:00

Random.org picked 3 today, so the winner of last week's draw for the Alice in Wonderland pattern set is Jane.

The giveaway for this week is a hand-embroidered pear. I have a number of projects that I've stitched that never found happy homes, so I decided to make them giveaways here. The pattern I used was Summer Pears from Crab Apple Hill Studio. The pear is probably about 7" tall (I didn't think to measure it) and has a wooden stem and ribbon leaf.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post. The drawing will be next Tuesday, January 24, at noon. Anyone, anywhere may enter. Please make sure I can easily contact you from your comment. Thanks!

New projects

2012-01-12T18:57:00.000-06:00

I'm still working on my crewel piece but in between, I've begun a couple of other projects. The mass of pink yarn above exactly matches my new winter coat. So, while it's not exactly ideal for the pattern, I'm using it. The pattern is a teaching pattern designed by my sister-in-law and I'm test driving the instructions. It's a really fun hat to knit. It goes all different directions, from a vertical cabled side panel to a side-to-side knit central portion for each half of the hat, finally ribbing. I've got one half done, to the right on a holding needle. The second half is on the circular needle.

This piece has an interesting history. The materials were collected by a woman I met last spring. Jane was the kind of person I wish I had been able to spend a lot more time with and get to know a lot better. Smart, witty, an artist and art lover, definitely someone to know. Sadly, she passed away shortly after we met. Generous friends sent me some of the gorgeous fabrics she'd collected.

Amongst them was this piece of broiderie persé--applique using existing printed or stitched fabrics, following the contours of the design. The original embroidery is on silk and the ground is quite fragile. She had basted this piece to the brown velvet ground--there are several other pieces of the embroidery I may use to add on or fill in.

A young woman who grew up with Jane as a neighbor is getting married this spring and I'm going to complete this applique and make it into a ring bearer's pillow for the wedding. Afterward, I'm going to disassemble the pillow, which will necessarily be fairly small, and remake it into a larger pillow for a sofa or a chair, as a wedding gift.

It's coming along nicely. I've found threads that match the embroidery pretty well for the applique. I plan to edge the outline in a metallic thread to finish it off. The silk ground is so fragile it turns under easily. It also sometimes frays and shatters a bit. Some of the embroidery threads are loose and I'm tacking them down as I go. I really like projects like this where I feel connected with past stitchers, in this case Jane and the unknown embroiderer who stitched the original silk flowers and leaves.

While they're silk and a bit more formalized, the floral motifs are very reminiscent of the crewel I've been so immersed in lately.

New Giveaway

2012-01-10T17:24:00.000-06:00

This give away is a set of three gently used patterns. I copied the pattern pieces and the giveaway will include all of the cut-out (used) copied pieces plus the intact patterns and instructions. They will make the nine Alice in Wonderland ornaments that I made for friends this Christmas. You can see photos of the ornaments I made from the patterns on my Flickr page.

The patterns are from Indygo Junction and you can see them here. You can also purchase an accessories kit for the patterns full of small treasures used to embellish the ornaments. I did and felt it was well worth it. This was a really fun project and I hope this giveaway will spread the fun.

To enter, comment on this post. I'd love to know which is your favorite character from the book, if you have one. Anyone, anywhere may enter. Please include a clear way (e-mail address or link to a blog or webpage with an e-mail address) for me to contact you. The draw will end on Tuesday, January 17, at noon central time, a week from today. I'll announce the winner that evening.

Emery winner and a basic tutorial

2012-01-09T17:28:00.000-06:00

Random.org picked #1: so Linda at Lewmew is the winner of the emery.

I plan to do frequent giveaways over the next few weeks. I'll post the next one tomorrow.

To make your own emery:

I purchased strawberry emeries from Hancock's of Paducah. I think they're filled with silica not emery filings, but they seem to work well. For a pattern I cut a half circle and then trimmed it a bit so it looked like a broad v with a rounded top. When I laid the emery on top of the pattern with the pointy ends together, the top of the paper was about 1" longer than the strawberry. I made sure it went around the berry with enough for a seam. It was pretty-much seat of the pants.

I cut the hanging loop off the emery (it was too short). I added my own loop by a combination of sewing and glue--the purchased emeries had a glued on green top and it was hard to stitch through.

For most covers I cut the pattern shape from fabric, added embroidery, pinned the seam with right sides facing, stitched the side seam and turned it right side out. I generally poked a bit of batting into the tip and some around the top if needed to fill it out. I pushed the emery inside. I folded in the top edge and gathered it, pulling it tight around my hanging loop.

To disguise the gathers, I added a frill of lace, rickrack, a bunch of ribbon roses, etc. around the base of the hanging loop.

I often added beads or additional stitching at this point.

To make the crazy quilted emeries, I drew the pattern onto muslin and pieced onto that, embroidered it and then finished it like the other.

You don't want the emery to be overly embellished--it's a tool and you're going to be poking your needle into it to polish and sharpen it. You don't want to have trouble finding a place to use it. The fun for me was to try and find the perfect fabric and trim for the recipient.

To start from scratch, you can purchase emery powder or filings and make your own emery. Use a very fine cotton or muslin for the inner fabric. I also have enclosed the emery in the cut-off corner of a plastic bag before inserting it into the inner muslin berry, for extra security. Sew the top of the muslin tightly closed. Then make an outer covering as above. If you make your own you can make them any size and shape. Generally they are small so you can pass your needle completely through from one side to the other to polish it.

Crewel Friday and a bit more...

2012-01-06T14:41:00.000-06:00

New Year's weekend provided some lovely stitching time. I completed the acorns, began the main stem, outlined the hills with split stitch and stitched the deer. I feel I'm jumping around a bit but the main stem and hills are the same color family and I want to get them well underway before taking a break for some color with the last two leaves. motivation. I've also just about completed my paper.

Last week I won lovely prize. I'd mentioned I'm participating in a 30-day creativity practice with others, organized by Quinn Creative. As part of the conversation, she asked us to post our words for 2011. She selected two participants to win these cute inner critic dolls.

While it's supposed to be used to silence your inner critic, these days the way work has been going, I've been using it to remind me to keep my yap shut when I long to spout off.

The doll came with this awesome card.

The long holiday weekend, along with our monthly support group on Thursday, also allowed me time for Japanese embroidery. I stitched the flat silk foundation for the middle fan blade. It's a deep burgundy color (which some people see as purple, some as brown). The trellis on top is done in two metallics, alternating--gold and a variegated pink. I still need to tie it down at the intersections. I hope to get that done this coming weekend.

Emeries--and a giveaway

2012-01-03T19:22:00.003-06:00

This year I made decorated Strawberry emeries for my stitching friends. I had fun customizing each person's design.

Here are some of them.

All of the images are available on my Flickr page here.

I don't know why this last photo is blurry--I took them all at the same time. I made this one for you. It's a giveaway, the first of several I have planned.

This is a simple give away. Please leave a comment on this post, include your name and either an e-mail address or another way to get in touch with you. Anyone, anywhere may comment. The comments will close at noon central time on Monday, January 9. I'll draw a name that afternoon.

Alice Ornaments

2012-01-02T18:18:00.001-06:00

In the fall I found a really cool set of patterns by Indygo Junction with an Alice in Wonderland theme. I was going to make one or two but ended up making all nine and sending them off to a friend and her family. It worked out there was one for each person. I had a blast making them, very little embroidery, a lot of crafting and assembling. I learned some new doll making techniques. Here they are.

More photos are available on my Flickr page here.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000-06:00

A Quiet New Year's Eve

2011-12-31T17:15:00.000-06:00

Last week Christmas Day dawned sunny and warm (well, warm for Chicago in December). It's been a warm December overall. Our little flower has stopped blooming but it's still quite green.

I took a contemplative walk and spotted this pinecone that seemed nicely seasonal.

So did a neighbor's house.

Shadows were long in the early morning.

I saw several of these leathery leaves.

We'll be at home this New Year's Eve, our usual preference, for a quiet celebration to welcome in the new year.

I hope your New Year's Eve celebration is fun and safe.

Loads of goodies

2011-12-30T18:02:00.000-06:00

Christmas goes by so fast--I want it to go slowly, not just because I enjoy the family gathering, eat till you bust day, but I want to see what gifts everyone got. There are generally some cool things floating around that I don't want to miss. Multiple forms of back scratchers, pigs, and chocolate. Many books that need to be browsed and discussed, tools, t-shirts, edibles, and just fun stuff. It's better now than when we were young and it was all rip-n-tear. But it just never lasts long enough for me.

I got some lovely, thoughtful gifts that I'll appreciate all year. (well, the chocolate and handmade salsa might not make it but other things will.) Here's a sampling of some of the fun.

My niece made me a necklace (crochet) that is very cool. I love her color choices.

I got two little lighting devices that have already come in handy. I'm up more and more in the night and have used them to read a bit. And I've been journaling early, before the winter sun comes up (when it does), and they've been useful there, too. So far I haven't used them for their intended gifting purpose--extra light for embroidery. I'm sure I will.

I'm really intrigued by these buttons.

And these micro tools (teensy scissors and pliers) will be very handy for beading.

And Hubby bravely indulged my Shirley Temple passion.

Now I can show the other things I made, too. That will have to wait until next week, though.

Intention for 2012

2011-12-29T17:24:00.000-06:00

For the past several years, I’ve chosen a word to focus on during the new year, rather than making resolutions I probably wouldn’t keep. The word is a focus for meditation and a guide to where I wish my life to go. My first word was “Move.”

Last year I selected a phrase, “No Excuse.” A slight admonition to myself to be responsible and act so no excuses would be necessary. I still need to keep that in mind (I’m a great procrastinator.)

This year I’ve selected another phrase: “Destination. Deliberation. Determination.” I’ve been listening to the Harry Potter books on my commute and I’m in the midst of book six, where the students learn to apparate.

“Apparition is a magical method of transportation and is basically the magical action of traveling by having the user focus on a desired location in their mind, then disappear from their current location and instantly reappear at the desired location. According to Wilkie Twycross, Ministry of Magic official and apparition instructor, one has but to recall The Three Ds: Destination, Determination and Deliberation. One must be completely determined to reach one's destination, and move without haste, but with deliberation. “ (from the Harry Potter Wiki)

When I searched online, I found I wasn’t the only one who saw this as a good metaphor for taking action in one’s life. I found several references to it in articles. Welcome 2012.

Christmas fun!

2011-12-28T18:15:00.001-06:00

I hope you had as enjoyable a holiday as we did. Mostly it was a quiet weekend. Sunny for a change and not too cold. On Christmas Eve we went to see the The Muppets (I really enjoyed it) and I worked like mad to finish up this gift:

I'd already finished this one:

On Christmas Day I made this one last gift and then we wrapped presents.

The piggy is needlefelted. This year had theme presents, not planned. Back scratchers were a big one--most people got one, one person was given two. The piggy recipient received a huge piggy bank. Books are still a big present in my family, too.

My sister always gets stuck hostessing and does it brilliantly. We dined and chocolated and had a great time. A few didn't make it and were missed.

2011-12-23T16:37:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas

I've spent an indulgent week--giving myself the gift of time and quiet. One morning I took myself to Panera Bread for a lovely breakfast bagel and hot tea before work. Another I joined coworkers for a catered-in lunch. I didn't stay late at work (well, hardly). I met an elderly professor for a lovely lunch.

I've worked on my crewel paper. Stitched on holiday gifts. Wrapped and given presents. Received some lovely gifts from friends. And caught up at work during the quiet days. Holiday bliss!

I hope your holidays are as warm and lovely and full of joy.

Finally--some stitching to show! And a table Runner Pattern

2011-12-20T19:12:00.000-06:00

These were a bit hard to photograph--they're table runners and about 40" long. I made them from a quick online pattern, Ten-Minute Table Runner by LaRae Bunnell Clark, that I found about a week ago.

I finished one for my sister and one for my sister-in-law.

And here's the pattern for you. There's still time to make some before Christmas--it's that quick! If you click on the pattern it should enlarge to print. If not, e-mail me and I'll send it to you.

Little Traveler

2011-12-19T17:55:00.000-06:00

Last weekend was a perfect preholiday weekend. On Friday my sister and sister-in-law and I got together to enjoy holiday decorations. We went to the Little Traveler for lunch and browsing.

We ate first and then browsed the many shops in this renovated mansion. Each room has something different, from furniture and clothing to wine and chocolate, and it's easy to get lost amongst the winding rooms (I think it's two or more houses linked together--it seems endless). Many of the items are from small companies and are definitely not what you'd find in any department store. This was one or our mom's favorite places, so there was nostalgia amongst the holiday glitter.

And glitter it is--The Little Traveler really goes all out for the holidays. In addition to rooms of holiday greenery and ornaments and under-the-tree villages, all of the rooms were also full of holiday decor, clothing, cards and all were beautifully decorated.

Afterward we ran some errands and picked up odds and ends needed for getting the holidays together. Then we sat around the dining room table and talked (and ate fresh-from-the-oven spice cookies).

It was a really fun day.

I was whacked on Saturday and lazy. I started leek-potato soup and roasted chickens for dinner. We did laundry. I worked on Christmas gifts. Read a bit--the new Diana Gabaldon Lord John Grey book. We watched A Christmas Carol (the 1951 version with Alastair Sim).

Sunday was more of the same. I made tacos for dinner, worked on Christmas gifts (one down, two more to go). On Sunday we watched A Christmas Carol (the 1938 version this time, with Reginald Owen). It was relaxing and fun and full of holiday spirit.

Crewel Friday

2011-12-15T17:52:00.001-06:00

Wow! it's been a long time. I've been working a bit here and there. I've completed the central motif and begun the acorns on the left. They're fun but the dense French knots take forever.

That also held me up with the central motif--the solid knotted area (dark gray green with a red "vein" down the center.

I have to get back to some Christmas making now. Once I start on this, I don't want to stop.

Thirty Day Creativity Practice

2011-12-14T17:28:00.003-06:00

I've joined a project with Quinn McDonald of QuinnCreative blog in her Thirty Day Creativity Practice adventure. Today is day three and it's been quite interesting. The practice involves two activities: deep writing and walking meditation.

I do the walking meditation already, my round-the-block each morning, with longer morning walks on weekends. I've worked it into my schedule and really miss it when something comes up and I can't walk. Ice will keep me in, rain or snow generally won't keep me in completely, but will occasionally curtail my journey (like today--I was pretty soggy by the half-way point). I've also worked out an indoor alternative I can do on the lower level at work that's okay for breaks and summers but difficult when school is in session (just too many people to dodge).

I used to do morning pages (Cameron, Artist's Way) but got out of the habit long ago. My morning walks have taken the place of the pages. Getting back to daily writing feels good, but I'm struggling to find a time that works every day. On Monday I wrote between work and dinner. I didn't mange it yesterday at all--and boy did I miss it! Yesterday was a very stressful, very long day--I had a nice rant when I got home and then I pretty much collapsed. I thought a lot about what I'd write if I had the energy.

This morning I wrote first thing before my walk. But many mornings are a huge rush--especially when I have physical therapy (which I hope to replace with morning work outs at the gym to keep the activity going once therapy is done).

I'm also sorting out the writing itself. I've been cranky lately and using the pages to vent--with a focus on doing it honestly and being aware of what I'm doing to exacerbate the issues, but still mostly I'm just ranting. I think once I get it all out, I may be able to be more directed in my writing and focused. I've decided for now to try and write a bit longer each time so I can get the daily rant over and then move on to more thoughtful and directed explorations.

The QuinnCreative blog has great ideas for exploring both the meditative walking and the deep writing. My morning pages were stream of consciousness, which is good, but I think a more directed approach may be better. Questions she asked today were: "What is the source of your creativity? Where do these good ideas come from?"--that is something I'd like to explore.

All of the photos here were taken on past morning walks. I occasionally bring my camera with me.

Erica Wilson

2011-12-14T12:46:00.000-06:00

I learned today that Erica Wilson died. I think that more than anyone, other than my mother, Erica Wilson had the strongest impact on my love of needlework. Her work was very visible in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when my interest began to be serious, and her design style always greatly appealed to me. I can still remember her designs in Better Homes and Gardens Needlework and Crafts magazines and Woman's Day magazines that my mother would buy.

I wanted to be Erica Wilson when I grew up.

Here's the New York Times article and a post on the DMC blog.

I met her once at a TNNA trade show (thanks, Susan, for that opportunity). I was tongue-tied and overwhelmed and she and her husband were gracious. (Thinking about it in retrospect, tongue tied was probably better than squealing or gushing.)

Saturday in Chicago

2011-12-12T18:39:00.000-06:00

It's a shame that I live so close to the cultural richness of Chicago and rarely go there. I dove on on Saturday for a guided tour with friends that was quite nostalgic for me. I spent many Saturdays in my teen years at the Chicago Public Library. As I began to venture beyond the library, I discovered Chicago's wonderful architecture. I would wander the streets and step into other worlds, like the Palmer House Hotel. And as a child, we'd visit the downtown Marshall Field's store at Christmas and then have lunch, escorted by my dad to took rare time off work to join us, at the Carson's Men's Grill. Mom's remote cousin Zora would wait on us.

Saturday's tour visited most of those places--and more.

We had lunch in the Millennium Park Grill, looking out on the skaters braving the cold weather. After lunch the we toured a bit of Millennium Park.

Me in the Cloud Gate (aka Bean).

Inside the Palmer House, lavishly decorated for the holidays. The woman in the candelabra was by Tiffany.

Design inspiration was everywhere. This is the carpet at the Palmer House.

We stepped into the former Peacock's Jewelry store to gawp at the ceiling (and walls and doors). More design inspiration.

This is the ceiling in the entry of the Cultural Center. Formerly it was the Chicago Public Library where I spent my time and the Cosmati-style mosaics feature the names of famous authors, quotes in many languages, and printer's marks. Inspired yet?

This is the famous Tiffany dome in its restored splendor. The central motifs are signs of the zodiac.

This is the room the dome covers. The logo is that of the Chicago Public Library. You have to be inspired by now!

And all of this is FREE to wander and view. (If you're going specifically to see the the Tiffany dome (or the dome in the Grand Army of the Republic room, also in the Center) you might want to check the Cultural Center calendar. Both rooms are used for concerts and public and private events and may not be accessible.)

It was a wonderful day. Huette was an amazing guide and I learned all sorts of new things about these once familiar places. I came home full of inspiration, replete with good things. I slept very well Saturday night.

More (different) photos of this trip are on the Homewood Embroiderer's Guild blog.

Japanese Embroidery

2011-12-09T17:35:00.002-06:00

I woke up to snow this morning. The dusting on the evergreen bushes and lawn was pretty. The sheet of glaze ice on the sidewalks and streets was not. I had an amazing amount of trouble trying to get the car door open with my arms full of packages going to the post office. I'm glad no one had a camera filming my flailing and struggles! I finally managed and went off to physical therapy and then took everything to the post office. another task done!

We held our monthly Japanese embroidery meeting a week late this month--it was yesterday. I got a lot done--all of the second layer of the fan blade laid and tied down. The photo really highlight spots where the bottom layer was moved out of place--I can tweak it back into place easily. (Finding things like this is one reason I like to photograph my work as I go along.)

I also learned a lot this week. A few weeks ago I lamented that I'd laid some of my basting lines right on top of the design lines and I'd had to go over them to cover the design lines. Hmmm, well. I didn't. Ruth reminded me that a gold border that goes around each fan blade and that covers the design lines. I'm not taking it all out--it's just going to be a slightly fatter fan blade. But I'll know better when I do the other blades.

I was very careful as I laid this second layer. It should form equilateral triangles and the third layer of the hemp-leaf pattern goes on top of this. If this second layer isn't even, then the third layer is more difficult to do. I used both my triangle and a sheet from a set of 7mm guidelines on a transparency. Between the two and measuring each stitch carefully, the triangles came out pretty accurate. (These transparency sheets also come in handy for crewel fillings.)

I want to begin on some of the flower and leaf motifs, but I need to get some of the other solid fan blades completed first. (In Japanese embroidery you stitch the foreground before the background, the opposite of most European-style embroidery.) The other fan blades are all flat silk (this first one has a twisted silk foundation). Flat silk can be a challenge in winter, between static and rough hands. I'm working on keeping my hands in good shape.

I'm tracking the time spent on this piece. So far--15 hours (that includes mounting it on the frame and couching the design lines for accuracy).

I've also worked a bit on my crewel piece. I plan to have a photo of that next week.

Holiday Party!!

2011-12-07T17:45:00.001-06:00

Tuesday night was my EGA chapter's holiday party. It was loads of fun, as it always is, thanks to the great committee that organizes it each year. Yummy food (I ate way too much) and good friends (never to much of that!).

I thought about bringing my camera but realized I'd never seen anyone there taking pictures in the past, so I decided not to take any of the festive scene and pretty clothing everyone wore. Here are some after the event photos. We were greeted by the prettily decorated tables and these cute table favors.

I participated in the ornament exchange--Isn't this stocking lovely? It was stitched by Carol J. I am very happy with my pick.

This ornament was lovingly hand stitched by Betti for me.

Renee made this beautiful pin cushion, nestled in an antique canning jar lid.

She also gave me this cool bread pan. Last night it was full with a loaf of wonderful smelling pumpkin bread. I took the bread out to wrap and washed the container and brought it in to work to hold holiday candy on my desk for coworkers.

Isn't this Brazilian gorgeous? Jamee, a grade- and high-school friend, made it for me. Her work is exquisite.

I think this is my hands-down favorite gift, from World Embroideries. I'm wearing them right now. Fingerless mitts for when the office (or home) is chilly. Right now they're with me at work. The color is gorgeous (not quite as brightly purple in the office light). And I adore all of the wonderful antique buttons.

Wrapping paper was flying as friends and secret stitchers exchanged gifts. It was delightful to see all of the wonderful hand stitched and carefully selected gifts.

This party is generally my first holiday event and truly gets me into the spirit. I feel very blessed to have such wonderful, caring and very creative friends.

Now I need to get some of my gifts into the mail (always a sticking point for me!).

Not much to show

2011-12-06T18:49:00.000-06:00

I've been working quite hard and have gotten a lot done--all of it gifts that I can't show until they've been received and opened. I even did the first wrapping--those things that I need to mail.

This weekend we took a break and went a bit west. We visited the new exhibit at the Illinois State Gallery, stopped in at Thimbles Quilt Shop and ended with a visit to Bird Haven Greenhouse and Conservatory in Joliet.

We didn't stay long--professional photographers were taking family photos in the rooms decorated for the holidays. It was pretty and the little ones were all dressed up in their best, but it was also quite crowded. We escaped to the calm of the succulent wing.

A little charmer came in and was coaxed by her mother to sing Jingle Bells for us.

It's been gloomy here for days now. Dreary and it's getting quite cold now.

The greenery in Bird Haven was delightful.

Stitches

2011-12-01T18:03:00.000-06:00

Over the long holiday weekend, I set up the frame stand for Japanese embroidery and got out my piece each morning and worked an hour or two. I finished the bottom layer of one fan blade (4/1 twist). This is a technique/pattern I did on Phase I so it's a good place to get moving on Phase II. Thinking ahead, on our last Thursday morning meeting in early November, I spent the time twisting many strands of silk so I could just get going and stitch when I had the time.

I was learning to keep the stitches at the correct angle and also to follow the white couched guideline and not the dark drawn line (which was surprisingly difficult). You are supposed to stitch just up to the couched guideline and not over it but... In some cases, not thinking ahead, I placed the couched guideline exactly on the printed design line--which should be covered. Once I realized that, I realized I'd have to stitch over some of my couched lines in order to cover the printed ones. Believe me, next time I couch guidelines, I'll remember to move them away a hairline from the printed lines.

I also have a "new" sewing machine, thanks to my sister and a friend of hers. It's older than my ailing Viking, but seems to work quite well and is very quiet. I used it off and on all weekend on small bits of holiday projects. It's exciting to have a working machine again and I'm seeing things that need mending and projects I'd planned that have been sitting.

For now, it's all waiting while the Christmas rush is on. And pictures of that will have to wait for a while longer.

Thanksgiving!

2011-11-29T17:28:00.000-06:00

If you're in the U.S., I hope your Thanksgiving weekend was as nice as ours. (and if you're not, I hope you had a wonderful weekend, too.) Four days in a row off work are always welcome. Above is my sister's seasonal pumpkin display. Pretty cool, huh?

(left to right, brother, brother-in-law and husband)

I didn't get any before shots of the feast. This is an aftermath shot, after dinner and after chocolate. The brother makes the chocolate (and the bread, garden vegetables, and the mac-n-cheese) part of the feast. (Sister hosted and made the turkey, gravy, potatoes and I contributed a green salad and mom's cranberry-orange relish.) This year it was chocolate pudding pie, chocolate coated peanut butter fudge and "turtles." (carmel with pecans enrobed in dark chocolate)

(In England they have pudding after a meal; we have chocolate.)

A close-up of chocolaty goodness.

In our family chocolate is a food group.

Brother and sister-in-law showing off their new hats. The red one is a masterpiece of cables and seaming (doesn't show off well here) that she's designed to teach an assortment of techniques at a local shop. The green hat was felted (both needle and wet) in a class at Esther's Place. More felted hats are in the plan.

Here's a front view of the hats

(note the cool knit sweaters she's wearing--I love the buttons on the cardigan)

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T16:42:00.001-06:00

Last weekend we went to Sand Ridge Nature Center for the 39th celebration of "Settlers' Day."

I remember the first Settlers' Days! Below are a friend, the brother-in-law, hubby and my sister. The friend an my sister were among the first "settlers" as Girl Scouts.

It's always a wonderful day. The reenactors are always very knowledgeable and interesting--it's like time traveling to "meet" Revolutionary War and Civil War soldiers, Native Americans, voyageurs, and craftspeople. They cook turkeys over the fire each year, too. It always smells great.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday replete with all of the things you are most thankful for.

For me it will be family as we gather at my sisters' home.

Back next week.

I think I got it...

2011-11-21T18:33:00.001-06:00

I recentlyposted my struggles with trying to remember how to do the above crochet sample (darker blue). I'd be okay at first and then it would go off track. Last week I brought the sample and wonky trial to our weekly lunch-time knit and crochet gathering and one of the other participants said she had the exact same trouble with "star" stitch. Aha! a name!

A brief Google and I found a two-part tutorial on star stitch (Part 1) by Crochet Geek. Written instructions are here. So I watched the videos, took some notes, saw some places I was going wrong and went home and made the above sample. By this time I'd stitched and ripped this end of the yarn many many times so I just cut it off when the two rows were done and straight.

And I began a star-stitch scarf. So far it's almost straight. This is not a holiday gift so no rush.

Santa's workshop

2011-11-17T18:54:00.001-06:00

Santa's workshop is up and running at home--which means that although I've been very busy, I don't have a lot that I can post here. All are still works in progress (and even if they were done, they need to stay secret for another month or so). All I can offer are some glimpses. (sorry the top one is so blurry--I think I got too close with the camera.)

Dreams

2011-11-15T17:54:00.000-06:00

We have a large board up in our main floor lounge this week asking everyone to post their dream. The board will go around campus between now and Martin Luther King Day next year when the dreams will be shared. There is an interesting selection of dreams posted now--in a variety of languages and clearly from a varied group of people--young and old, student and not.
This display really got me thinking as I read the comments (which is probably the point!). Some have a world view and others are very personal. All seem to say that the poster wishes to be the best person they can be.

I began to wonder what my dream is.

I have lots of dreams; it's the picking just one dream that's hard.

So I picked my biggest dream:

I dream that one day we'll live in a world where every person has the opportunity

to achieve their full potential.

What's your dream?

No crewel this week, but a couple of knit finishes

2011-11-10T18:37:00.001-06:00

I made this leaf shawlette for a gift.

As much as I could get into the photo with it flat.

A preemie cap for charity.

I'm still making ornaments. Front and back.

Our street is golden and scarlet

2011-11-07T18:30:00.000-06:00

A leaf posie I made for hubby from leaves I collected on our street Sunday morning.

Taken on my walk on Sunday.

Across the street--signs of the first mild frost (normally we'd have had several hard frosts by now!)

And in front of our house, our intrepid flower keeps putting out more buds.

Crewel Friday

2011-11-04T07:01:00.001-05:00

It's coming along...

I stitched late into the night on Sunday. The long and short shading took a long time to do. In the middle of it, I took a break from the dull color and stitched the sprig on the right.

I'm going to take a break next week. I'm going to be out of touch for a couple days--no big deal, a routine colonoscopy, and I hope to get some stitching done while at off work, but this is a busy time in a busy week so I may not get a chance to visit with you.

Gladys Windsor Fry

2011-11-02T18:46:00.000-05:00

I posted about her book, Embroidery and Needlework, last spring and a friend spotted it recently and asked me if I knew anything about the author, Gladys Windsor Fry. I didn't and Internet searching didn't turn anything up either. I hoped she might be in the book Early Twentieth-Century Needlework Techniques, but she wasn't. So I drew a blank.

But...

The searching led me to another book of hers, Working Designs for Embroidery, and I bought it. It arrived in the mail last week.

This is a bookof drawings for needlework designs and is, in some ways, a companion to her
Embroidery and Needlework book--some of the designs illustrated in the book are included as drawings in the designs book.

The book is indexed by types of needlework and provides the page numbers for designs suitable for that technique.

There are a few illustrations, several showing the design above stitched with different techniques.

While I'm now more curious than ever about who Ms Fry was, I'll have to settle for enjoying her interesting designs...unless you know something about her. If you do, please share it with us!

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T17:41:00.000-05:00

I took a break this weekend from crewel and worked up some Halloween ornaments.

I used the format of the Christmas ornaments I've been doing (here) and paired orangier wools with olive and dark sage greens. The little spider, above, is beaded. I think I need to learn to cut better bats.

These were all gifts, now in the hands of their recipients.

Surprise Package

2011-10-28T18:57:00.004-05:00

I received a surprise box of goodies!

It arrived on my desk at work full of fun things. My friends thought I'd get a kick out of this Marjorie Seedling Plum jam that they found in their wanderings--I am! I haven't tried it yet. I brought back a package of Waitrose crumpets last spring and froze them. I think they will be perfect with this jam and some tea.

I have tried these cookies and they are very yummy--lemony and good, shaped like St. George or the dragon. Most of all, though, I love the box. Along the sides the story of St. George and the Dragon is written. The princess (with the dragon on her leash) is on one end flap of the box (the other has the knight's horse and opened down).

This gift is from a young friend who shares my love of all things Dr. Who and it is very much appreciated (I've been wearing it since I got it). He also included a bright orange Dalek (which I suspect formerly held candy). That Dalek lives on my desk, exterminating any dull tasks that come along.

It feels a bit odd that I'm the one who got the presents (they actually came a few days ago but it took me a bit to get photos)--today is my brother's birthday--Happy Birthday, Chuck!

Crewel Friday--progress

2011-10-27T18:51:00.004-05:00

I've been making progress--I don't want to put it down.

I received lesson two back from the instructor, Judy Jeroy, on Monday. She had some comments and areas for improvement in the samplers I sent her and some comments on the notes on the paper that I sent her. Now I have a lot to do--finish the paper, complete my notebook (I have fabric to make a cover for it, too), make up the pockets, and finish the edges of the band sampler.

All I want to do is stitch.

Small finishes

2011-10-26T17:42:00.001-05:00

These feathers are for the Magic Feathers project over at Jude's Spiritcloth blog. I've been seeing other feathers appear across the blogs and decided it was time. The four-patch squares were found in a resale shop ages ago. They're old but not antique; I think one of the fabrics is rayon, the others cotton. Stitched with perle cotton and silk threads.

I completed two more felt snowflake ornaments. Here are the fronts and below..

...are the backs. I have piles of felt circles waiting to be ornamented.

For these I used DMC Medici wool thread on the wool felt.

Fun Weekend!

2011-10-25T18:30:00.001-05:00

After a long week of storms--cold, torrential rains, very windy with huge gusts--Saturday dawned calm, sunny and warm. I had a long awaited lunch with friends planned.

Here we are, dining in Spain! Well, we felt like we were visiting there. We met at Don Quixote Restaurante in Valparaiso for a long, leisurely lunch of soup, tapas and dessert! We had great fun. The food was great and we felt warmly welcomed.

While I was in Valparaiso, I stopped in at Imagine Beads (just around the corner from the restaurant). That stop did not help my budget but I had a great time browsing all of the wonderful beads on display. I brought home beads for a few holiday gifts--the new owner is very inspiring and enthusiastic. (no pictures because, well, presents)

When I came home I noticed this beauty in the pot on by our front porch. I'm amazed it survived all of the storms and cold. It was really nice to see it glowing there.

Crewel Friday

2011-10-20T21:55:00.002-05:00

It's started. It's a lot of fun.

I would work on it all the time, except I find crewel can be hard on my fingers--I poked a hole in my right middle finger from pushing the needle. Then I remembered I have this great rubbery thimble to use and it helped a lot--not only pushing but pulling recalcitrant needles through. I tend to use a fairly large needle to help ease the thread, and it's quite easy for the first row, but any subsequent rows in close proximity seem to be tough. Some of this was done in a hoop, some not, depending on how the teacher classified the stitches.

I like working with the very clear outline. I wish I'd done it in a softer color and perhaps a green. It shows through some of the paler shades of thread I've used.

My Chinese fortune cookie fortune from a lunch this week said: "good beginnings is half done." The perfect sentiment!

this and that

2011-10-19T18:42:00.009-05:00

Not a lot of finishes this week. I did complete this afghan square for our "Legal Loopers" Warm Up America project. We've begun holding lunch-time stitch-ins at the Law School for anyone interested in coming (e-mail me for details if you're interested). Knitting, stitching, even lanyard making. Beginners welcome. I nearly finished this at last week's meeting--I crocheted the last row at home.

Front, above; back, below. I think afghans should look good from both sides. That's the last of this rather ugly yarn.

I want to begin knitting preemie caps for the hospital but the yarn's in my car trunk and I keep forgetting it. So I began knitting a ruffly baby hat for a gift for a friend's daughter. It's marinated in my stash for a couple of years now, so should be ready to knit! I'll post a photo once I have enough done that it looks like it might be something.

Below are two needlepoint projects for Homewood Guild that kept me busy the last month. You can read more about them on the Guild blog.

I also began working on some Christmas gifts that I won't be showing for a while.

relax and recharge weekend

2011-10-18T18:10:00.002-05:00

Whenever we feel the need to relax and recharge, our favorite thing to do is to head east into Indiana. We do a circle, heading to Michigan City and the Lubeznik Gallery first. They had a new exhibit up, String Theory by Jözef Sumichrast. I liked the theory behind the art and it made me look at things in new ways, but what I really liked were the shadows it cast.

There was also a photography exhibit in the gallery by Larry Chait. You'll have to visit the gallery to see it. Lovely rural scenes as seen driving by in a car.

Upstairs was an exhibit called Lost and Found, art using ready made or found objects. I especially liked this exuberant fabric fish. The lower level also had some interesting exhibits by local artists. Now our brains are refreshed and we're seeing in new ways.

After the gallery we head west along the lakefront. At first we're driving through wetlands then we go closer to the shore. The road along the shore is high above the beach. There's one spot where we can stop (if it's not full) and go down to the beach.

The wind and high waves kept us up above this weekend. We enjoyed watching the group on the beach parasailing! One guy would fight his way far out into the water, going diagonally across the pretty high waves, then he would just fly back in to shore. It was amazing to watch and we could totally see why he did it. If you look closely, Chicago is visible along the horizon.

After our beach visit, we drive back through wetlands and woods to "civilization." The trees here are just beginning to change--it's usually warmer near the lake.

Quick crewel update

2011-10-16T07:09:00.001-05:00

Sorry, no photos yet. I have been working. I began stitching my large piece, just a little bit. But first, to tame the bag of wools, I bought some deeply discounted metal shower curtain hangers and put a color family on each in order. Boy does that help sorting all the shades of green and brown! I also wrote a more organized outline for the paper.

I'm thinking of working toward an E.G.A. master craftsmanship in crewel. The guide for this course is the same person who monitors the master craftsman program so once I'm done, I'll ask her about it. There, I said it.

Brauer Museum of Art

2011-10-14T18:59:00.001-05:00

We visit this gallery on the Valparaiso University campus often. This month had two interesting shows. They're both on for another month if you can get by.

Henry Diltz took some of the iconic photos of the sixties. I remember seeing some as album covers. It really brought back the times--photos of the Hog Farm and Woodstock, Zappa, Hendrix, Morrison, Mama Cass, so many people I "knew."

We'd forgotten some of the exuberance and reminded ourselves we need that in our lives.

The second exhibit was a delight. I love finding things like this--that I've seen all my life but never really SEEN. Now I'll see each time I encounter a newel post!

There were two large rooms just full of rows of newels. They were identified by style and period but not much more. Each had been beautifully restored. A portion of a staircase showed them in use. The collection began with Mr. Christopher encountered some grungy old posts in shop basement and they reminded him of chess pieces. He decided to collect a "chess set" (and he did--it's there and very cool). Then he went on to gather more and more of these pieces from demolished buildings. I think it was the massing of them that made it so impressive. A delight.

A couple of small finishes

2011-10-13T18:56:00.000-05:00

Doctors' office knitting.

a white chemo cap from donated yarn for a friend's mother

a silly ruffly scarf for a gift. Knit with Knitting Fever Flounce yarn.

Warm fall weather

2011-10-12T18:56:00.000-05:00

We've been having some lovely warm weather. The plants, animals, and trees, however, know it's autumn.

I remember when this maple tree was planted. It's just across the street from us and even as a little twig, it's leaves captured the essence of autumn. They're almost all dropped now but last weekend they were gorgeous. We enjoy the show every year.

The skies were a brilliant blue, clear. It was amazing against the colors of the trees. This is a neighbor's home.

The light's different, too, in the fall. It's at a different angle and there seem to be more shadows. These are some of the maple tree's fallen leaves.

I have a particular "thing" for golden yellows and grays. don't know why. This is a but more subdued but in a similar vein.

Maple leaves dancing on the lawn. I can't imagine what they get up to at night when we're not watching!

A neighbor planted some late daisies.

I don't know what this large plant is. I've been watching it all year. It's striking.

Rain is expected to night and cooling. It's mid October and I'm still wearing sandals. I'm happy.

Phase II

2011-10-11T18:49:00.000-05:00

For Phase II I'm doing Golden Fan. I've changed some of the colors--from black to dark green and from orangy red to winey red. I've also added some possible metallics.

It's not all planned yet.

So, I mounted the diamond patterned silk fabric in the frame (almost as much of a process as finishing) and got it good and taut. Then I began to check the design lines. The stretching often distorts straight lines on manmade objects and it did with my fan. So I used line-of-held-thread to mark straight design lines. We also found that if I followed the measurement for the outermost fan blades and used them for the center blades, the measurement was much too short. So we recalculated the lengths and set the top edge of the fan so it has a nice shape and curve.

This is about when my cold set in and I didn't accomplish much after that. I used the time to complete all of the guidelines for the fan. I observed lessons for others in the class--another student began this piece a while ago and provides me footsteps to follow. I practised stitching between the barely visible guide lines (up to, not through or over). I made a sample of twisted thread (which I know is not twisted quite tightly enough, but will provide a guide when I begin on my own. I padded the edge of a maple leaf.

Pretty minor accomplishments, but accomplishments nonetheless.

Last look at Phase I

2011-10-10T18:33:00.001-05:00

This is the back of my Bouquet once all was fixed, pasted, steamed and done.

I cut a piece of foamcore to size and covered it with thin white cotton batting (with scrim). I taped the batting in place and then sewed mitered corners, trimming any overlap. I centered my piece on the front of the prepared foamcore and put a few pins into the edges to hold it in place.

I forgot to take a photo while lacing the first side. You lace closely, beginning in the middle and moving out to each side. I laced the selvage edges first then the edges that had fabric extensions stitched on to fit the embroidery frame. I left some of the fabric on the piece, here, to help fill the gap between the edges.

The last two sides are being laced above. Note the hemostats and spool. I reeled off a huge long thread (maybe 5 yards) the clamped it, leaving it on the spool uncut. The cut end went into my needle. Then I began lacing in the center-the hemostats holding the thread in place. Then if I run out, I can just unspool more and pull it through to the edge. No knots. When I get to the edge, I park the thread and then go back to the center, and reel off a little more than what I think I used for the first half.

All laced up tight for framing.

When I cut out my foamcore, I cut it from the center of a larger piece. (you can see my cutting skills need work.) Now when I go to mat and frame the piece, I have leeway in the size mat or frame I choose. I cal always cut the outer square smaller. Once framed the piece is flat and supported in the frame. I use this type of double-square framing for all of my needlework. It's great for canvas--really supports it--and if you neglect to add enough extra at the edge for the frame, this solves that problem.

Finishing Japanese Embroidery

2011-10-07T18:33:00.000-05:00

I didn't get photos of all of the steps involved in this process, but I did take some as my teacher and a classmate worked on finishing. First you inspect your piece really closely. This view lit from underneath shows long tails and a couple places where I carried threads on the back where it shows.

This has to be fixed before proceeding. Also, there's a big gap between the top edge of the paper and the iris leaves. Oh, and one clover stem just vanished into nowhere, incomplete (it matched the design line, but should have been extended beyond). This was all fixed the morning of day 1.

In the afternoon the entire piece was brushed gently and pounded (not at all gently) with a cotton filled white velvet pillow. This smooths the threads and gets the dust from many years out. This piece was on the frame eight years!

I didn't get any pictures of the pasting. You mix a wheat paste with water and heat it until thickened and using your finger brush the very thinnest, barely moist layer of it over the back of the embroidery (even the thin stems) making sure you don't get any on the silk fabric. (I tried my best). Then you brush the back side of the pasted embroidery piece with a barely damp towel, both top to bottom and right to left.

Next comes steaming. You wet the towel and drape it over a hot iron. You steam it from the underside, first with the back side facing up and then you turn the frame over and steam it with the front side facing up. You hold the iron upside down just below the frame--never touching the fabric. Occasionally you need to reposition the towel so the wettest area is on the hot plate of iron--without letting the hot wet towel fabric touch your skin, clothes or the needlework fabric. That iron gets heavy!

If you look closely you can see the steam coming through the fabric. The steam is what really makes the silk just glow. It plumps up, smooths out and everyone goes Wow! It also seems to smooth/ease the gold work areas--my piece didn't have any but this piece did.

After this you press the piece very lightly on both sides with a warm iron with Japanese pressing paper (seems somewhat like very light-weight freezer paper), shiny side down.

Then you do all of it again--except for the inspection/fixing and velvet pillow steps. You repaste, rewipe it with the damp towel, resteam both sides, and repress both sides. Then you let it dry at least overnight.

After that you can remove it from the frame and mount it. Phew!

It seems like a lot but I rather like the ritual of it--rather than pulling it off the frame and jumping into the next piece, there's this segue--you treasure the piece you just did, make it as perfect as you can, really look at the accomplishment, take some time to just enjoy it. I laced my bouquet to a mounting board before framing up Phase II. I felt ready.

It's all about Japanese Embroidery

2011-10-04T18:58:00.000-05:00

I spent the first day and a half of class finishing up my Phase I piece. I have some photos of the steps of that for later on but for now...These two shots show the piece after the final steaming. (these two were taken at odd angles to highlight the shine)

It's amazing how the silk just glows! The finishing takes time but is well worth it.

Here's my phase one piece done, stretched and laced onto padded foam core and ready for framing.

I got phase II framed up and then I woke up sick the next day. I came to class the last two days but didn't stitch much. I have some photos of my phase two piece and the prep work I did.

But for now, I'm going to bed for a while. I may not be back 'till next week.

Crewel Friday

2011-09-29T17:48:00.002-05:00

It's back again. I sent off lesson two yesterday with the pockets and band sampler and the rough draft of my paper (mostly notes).

I traced the final design onto the twill fabric and am ready to get stitchn'!

I'm off this weekend for the Japanese embroidery class. Too much fun!

new book

2011-09-28T18:06:00.000-05:00

Between my meetings and the rain this weekend, most of the things we'd thought to do on our mini holiday didn't happen. We did visit Half Price Books, where I found this book. It's by Amy Barickman of Indygo Junction and I've been looking at it for a while. I really like it--it's in that early-Twentieth-Century design style that I've been indulging in lately.

The book and Amy's website led me to the Cornell University Home Economics Archive, with a treasure trove of books to explore.

Later this week I'll be off to the Japanese Embroidery class. I can't wait!

Indianapolis

2011-09-27T17:59:00.000-05:00

This is pretty much it for fiber content this week. I've been mostly working on a guild mystery project I can't show yet. This sweet flower was a kit in the Molly Makes magazine I bought a couple of months ago. It's cute and I have absolutely no idea what to do with it.

This weekend I attended the Embroiderer's Guild of America Great Lakes Region board meetings--two of them, the executive and the general. I don't vote which means I don't have much to do so I knitted. The meetings were in Indianapolis so hubby went with and we stayed with our niece and her husband. It was great (the visit, not necessarily the meetings). I really enjoyed getting to know them better. The cool gate above is the entry to their sublet condo.

This rose is one of the last. I don't have any more pictures because it rained all weekend. It's still raining, for that matter. I saw the most amazing rainbows during my commute to work yesterday. One was a big, bright full arc. Amazing!

Knitting

2011-09-22T17:57:00.000-05:00

No crewel to show this week. I'm starting to write my paper. I'm still in the "what goes where" sorting stage, trying to figure out what I want to say and what I have to say. Gathering my illustrations and organizing them in the document. I'll send it to the instructor once I have some bones in place. The fleshing out will, hopefully, come later. I should have kept better track of where I read what.

I've been knitting on the leaf shawl and have three repeats done now. Four to go. I noticed that my tension loosened considerably after I had completed the first repeat. Oh, well. I have written the pattern in a notebook so I can flip pages as I go along so starting and stopping is painless.

I've made progress, too, on the chemo cap. It's very soft and will be nice. It's my doctor's office project these days. More of that to come in the next weeks, so more progress on the cap. Since it's just knit (and knit and knit) it's easy to put down and pick up.

Early Christmas

2011-09-22T12:30:00.000-05:00

Aurelia Eglantine is hosting her first blog giveaway and it's a generous and colorful assortment of goodies that will make your holidays shine.

I think I made the picture a link but, just in case, I also put the same link on her name.

Well worth entering! It ends October 12th.

Old fabrics

2011-09-21T18:08:00.001-05:00

We were going in to look at a dresser. Hubby had spotted it and the handles on mine keep coming apart, so he brought me to the antiques shop to look at it. The dresser was already gone and instead I came home with this embroidered pillow top. The grapes need to be stitched. I have two shades of purple flat silk that I hope I can softly twist to look similar to the thread used for the rest of the piece.

And in the mail yesterday I received a package from friends in England. It was full of wonderful fabrics collected by a really lovely woman who recently passed away. I wish I had gotten to know her better--we just met this spring and it was not enough at all. I already have some plans for some of the bits. They are of all types, eras, styles. Some of the pieces are quite small and others over a yard. It's a treasure!

This is not an antique nor a textile, but I am really enjoying this replica of an early Twentieth Century map of London. It was created to encourage people to use the Tube to see the wonders of London and it's full of quirky places to visit and also some very interesting characters. Every time I look at it, I see something new.

I've always liked maps and have used them as a basis for some collages. The last few years I've been seeing some map-based art quilts and I'm intrigued. Then I realized that my hexagon quilt with fabrics I bought in London (most recently pictured here--I need to get back to it) is a map quilt of sorts.

With a Cunning Needle

2011-09-20T18:39:00.001-05:00

Kudos to Winterthur for making me feel really great. A while back Tricia Wilson Nguyen announced that the Plimouth Jacket would be exhibited at Winterthur in the exhibit "With a Cunning Needle." She offered a needlework project as a fundraiser. I decided I didn't want to stitch this one, but did like the idea of the exhibit so I clicked the link Tricia wisely provided and donated some money to the project (not much, but what I could). The lovely catalog below is, I think, the third item I've received from the museum, in thanks for my donation. I was amazed to receive this exhibit catalog.

This is one of the inside spreads of the catalog. It's wonderful.

And at the end is a list of donors with my name. Wow!

No heavy duty solicitations, no cards saying "you gave $10 last time so we'd like you to give $20 this time." If I had any loose change, you can bet it would be going to Winterthur. They've got it right. (and if I can figure a way to get east to this exhibit, I will)

Crewel Friday Stitches

2011-09-16T18:12:00.000-05:00

For those who asked: I don't have images or scans of the stitch charts but I do have sources where I got some of them. Most of the fillings begin with a simple lattice, tacked down with a tiny diagonal stitch. I used a cut strip of paper to help guide the lattices, different sized strips for bigger or smaller lattices. Most of the lattices stitched in the sampler are vertical/horizontal, but the first and last ones are diagonal. They're done the same way: lay long parallel stitches in one direction, cross at a 90 degree angle the other way and then tie down the intersections. (stitch back and forth, not like satin stitch)

The first two samples below have a laid stitch ground. The others do not. It took way too long.

The left hand box in the first row is my attempt at using a Japanese embroidery stitch, tie-dye effect, in crewel wool. First you stitch the diagonal grid, then instead of a small diagonal tie down, you take three longer satin stitches over each intersection. Last, you add two small satin stitches to the center of each open area.

The right-hand pattern is a not very successful try at my own design. Alternating lazy-daisy stitch flowers. Kind of inspired by the Dover book mentioned below.

Second row, left is a large vertical cross in pale green over the grid lines with a yellow French knot in the other squares. This is from the Dover book, Jacobean Iron-on Transfer Patterns by Linda Ormesson. While the transfers are okay, I got the book for the three pages of filling patterns at the end.

Next to it is another lame attempt at design. I stitched large diagonal crosses and tied them down. I didn't plan it before beginning and it would be improved with better spacing, I think.

The bottom row patterns were taken from Stitches of Creative Embroidery by Jacqueline Enthoven. One is a double vertical cross, tied down with a small diagonal cross and French knots. The other is a double lattice. I stitched one lattice and tied it down and then stitched another in the same directions, midway between the laid lines of the first, and tied it down. The experiment here was with color. The bottom lattice is dark green tied down with red. The top lattice is pale green tied down with the same pale green. It gives kind of a plaid effect.

The top left strawberry is spaced buttonhole stitches on a laid ground from Crewelwork Embroidery Stitches by Anchor. The leaf on that side is satin stitch held with long laid lines that are couched at intervals. I saw this in several of the older books I've been reading and it seems to have been a common Medieval filling stitch in Europe and was also used in many other countries.

The little three-lobed leaf is shaded chain stitch.

On the right hand side, the top leaf is Battlement Couching, which is layers of grids, just moved over a bit each time, with the top layer secured at the intersections. I found that in several books. I outlined it with stem stitch. The right-hand strawberry is also from the Anchor book. Blocks of satin stitch are alternated with large crosses, tied in the centers. It was very hard to keep the satin stitch blocks even and square, even though I drew them onto the fabric.

The mounds: the top mound is rows of shaded chain stitch with the topmost row being a twisted chain so one arm sticks out (hopefully like grass). The mound on the right is a buttonhole stitch I saw in the old books. It was done as a solid filling in the books; here I spaced it out more. You stitch the first row like regular buttonhole, with the "purl" edge down. For each subsequent row you begin each stitch just above the purl edge of the previous row, stitching over the edge, as you make a new row. If it's close it doesn't look like buttonhole at all but rows of satin stitch with a raised edge.

The mound on the left began with laid stitch, then a diamond filling. I made my tie downs long--each one began right at the bottom edge of where two laid threads crossed, but then extended up midway into the diamond. I added a French knot at the end of each tie down. The idea was to look like flowers and stems.

Crewel Friday

2011-09-15T18:39:00.001-05:00

I've completed my second pocket, which focuses more on filling stitches. It's stretched and dried and ready to go. I think I'll leave it on the frame until I'm ready to mail. I'm in the process of documenting the where I got the designs for the filling stitches I used. Good thing I kept some notes!

Here are both pockets. Once they're reviewed, I can make them up.

More Homewood Projects

2011-09-14T18:26:00.000-05:00

We're going to teach the ornaments above at the October Homewood meeting. The top three are mine, the sparkly one was done by World Embroideries. I really like how we can take the same basic pattern and come up with something very different. Hopefully our members will come up with their own variations. I've put a template for making up your own snowflake designs at the bottom of this post.

One of our classes for Homewood Embroiderer's Guild will be to make mixed media Artist Trading Cards. They fit our theme since they're the same size as a playing card.

I think the playing card fabric (from Jo-Ann's Online) is pretty cool.

I made up this sample from fabrics and threads I had assembled when I was doing my summer challenge project.

Homewood Guild Projects

2011-09-13T18:13:00.000-05:00

World Embroideries, Marge and I are program chairs this year for Homewood Embroiderer's Guild. Our theme is Fun and Games! Each year the guild has a summer challenge to do while we're on hiatus. This year we challenged members to draw a card from a deck and use the card they drew to inspire an embroidery of some sort--or even just think about what they might do and make notes and sketches.

I drew the 10 of Clubs. Not too inspiring, like, say, the Queen of Hearts. But I noticed the card is one of few that are exactly the same no matter whether it was right side up and upside down. Which got me thinking about topsy-turvy. Being a literal sort, I decided to make 10 club embroideries, to try some new techniques, and to make them into a Jacob's Ladder. Above are the 10 embroideries, below the assembled toy.

I think it's kind of cool and it actually does tumble like it should.

WIPs and a finish

2011-09-12T17:57:00.002-05:00

A couple of weeks ago my sister gave me a belated birthday gift--this Bareroots pattern and materials kit.

I love small projects like this and got busy on it.

I finished it yesterday. My first Christmas project for this year done!

Since I finished my felted totes, I needed a new knitting project. This "Garden View Shawlette" by Tracey Whitanee, found on Ravelry, was in my pile. Another brithday gift, a gift card, supplied the yarn. The instructions are great--very clear with both written instructions and a chart. Great for novice lace knitters like me. I'm new to Ravelry, Marjel3--if you're there come by and say "hi!"

Recently our EGA chapter received a donation of tapestry wool, floss, and some white yarn. The floss will be used for Camp Quality next summer (and I won't be struggling to find an idea at the last minute--I already have what I think will be a good one). The wool is in our storage area while we think of ideas for it. Some is in large uncut skeins and I was thinking of using it to knit with--perhaps coasters for Hospice to sell. And I thought the white yarn would make nice chemo caps--it's very soft.

The day after I got the donation, hubby and I were a our local store and the pharmacy clerk he often chats with was telling us how her mother was just diagnosed with breast cancer. So I began knitting the first hat. It's great traveling knitting--it's mindless now, just knit. (Several doctor visits last week means that this has grown quite a bit since I photographed it.) I think the yarn is fine enough that it would be good for preemie caps, too. I need to find a pattern.

Crewel Friday

2011-09-09T06:37:00.002-05:00

I've completed all of the stitching on the sampler piece. Here it is before blocking. I've since damp stretched it and it is nicely smooth now.

I've turned my attention to the second pocket but haven't taken a photo of my work on it yet.

It's Done!

2011-09-06T18:03:00.002-05:00

I took advantage of the long weekend and our first-Thursday stitching session last week to complete my bouquet. At long last (I'm pretty sure I started it in 2004). The offending petal is redone. (Upon checking the picture and the tracing, it did stick out that much but I still disliked it so I made it stick out a bit but it's much shorter and I like it a lot better now.) I'm not thrilled with the cords that go across the brown paper but I decided that the second one I did is much nicer than the first, which shows I've learned something and left it as is. Our class begins Sept. 30, at which time I'll do the pasting and steaming of this piece and then begin Phase II.

Crewel Friday

2011-09-01T18:23:00.002-05:00

I'm still spending my free time mostly reading (or working on projects I can't show yet). Here's what I'm reading right now.

The Art of Embroidery by Llanto Synge

When I was in London, a friend showed me this book. I made copious notes, but then discovered it here in our library, so I've been reading it cover to cover. Mr. Synge is quite knowledgeable and the book is well written and lavishly illustrated. It has a lot of great information on crewel. Now that I think of it, it is not much of a how-to-stitch book but a wonderful history/survey that includes modern embroidery.

Embroidery by Mrs. Grace Christie and others

This is also from the library, a fragile gem, kept in a box because it's falling apart. It's a rarer book by Mrs. Christie (Her Samplers and Stitches and Embroidery and Tapestry Weaving books are better known). It has articles by several people on stitching, designing, color, history and includes some lovely designs, with instructions plus ideas on how to vary the design/stitches/colors to suit your needs. Mr. Christie wrote some of the articles on design and color. And scattered throughout are how-tos for various stitches and techniques.

One of the articles in this book mentioned a book I just found online. The Art of Needlework by The Countess of Wilton. It's from 1840. I was hoping for a section on crewel or pictures; it has neither. But it does have chapters on embroidery by royalty, the famous field of cloth of gold, and embroidered book covers, so I've saved it to read. You can find it several places online. I downloaded it from here.

Something completely different

2011-08-31T18:12:00.000-05:00

I'm not much of an artist but I got out my sketchbook Saturday night and worked in a frenzy to draw special items from my childhood and teen wardrobe.

It all started a few months ago when we were watching old family movies. I saw myself in a couple of my all-time favorite outfits. Most were made by my mom. And they stuck in my mind, how much I enjoyed them and how good I felt to wear them. Well, mostly. the lace on the dotted Swiss above was a bit scratchy--but I still loved the dress and puffed out with petticoats skirt.

This is the one that triggered the sketches--my "Indian" dress. I loved this dress and was very sad when I outgrew it. I think I was four or five when I wore this colorful dress. (Indian made more sense if you saw me in it with my long dark-brown braids.)

I wore this wool skirt in high school--no idea what with, really. I just loved the skirt. Mom made it and it fit perfectly. I may have worn it with the popular mohair sweaters.

This sheath from the 60s was worn to our Homecoming dance my senior year. I always wore it with a multistrand, multicolor long necklace of plastic beads. I really liked this dress. Mom used this same pattern to make another dress I begged for--wonderful red velvet. I felt very grown up! (I still have it.)

The frothy pink dress above was the result of a new teenager's temper tantrum. I have to give it to mom, she bought me the dress (rare to have a store-bought dress). And it did not flatter my figure. I wore it to 8th grade graduation and I loved how it made me feel--so feminine and pretty.

Not at all like the beige tailored pleated skirt and overblouse she wanted me to wear (mom loved beige). Our compromise must have busted her budget--she actually bought me both dresses. I wore the dull beige dress (which I hated but was admittedly more flattering to my plump self--even at 13 I knew that) for church confirmation. (no drawing of that ensemble, although I remember it quite well.)

This was my prom dress. It's the thing I liked best about prom. My date was a cousin's cousin. My boyfriend had just broken up with me (I know now because he didn't have money to pay for prom). The dinner was exotic (the Sabre Room with the very foreign shish kabab!) and the dance so-so (I loved to dance--my date didn't) and I had my hair done (for the first time)--on top of my head in big ringlets. I felt beautiful--a rare thing. The next day we defied my parents and skipped the beach and headed to Old Town and all of the hippie shops. (The Ps and I had a serious discussion afterward about their having forbidden this and my taking a "Ghandi" civil disobedience stance that I knew that and made my own decision, contrary to theirs, and I'd live with the consequences. There wasn't much of a consequence that I can remember.)

This was another bought dress, with gorgeous Schiffli embroidery. It fit like a dream (I'd lost some weight my senior year, the result of endless hours of jumping rope in the basement and not eating). I remember thinking that perhaps one day I could use it as a wedding gown. (In the end I made my wedding dress, perhaps I should draw that one, too). I still have my prom dress, in the back of a closet with the red velvet. Every once in a while I think I should donate it, but I'm not quite ready yet.

Now that I'd got the sketching bug, I hope to keep it up. I never seem to keep the momentum going and I'm sure my skills would improve with practice.

The quilts of Addie Mangoian Davis

2011-08-30T18:45:00.000-05:00

This weekend we had some beautiful weather to enjoy so hubby and I drove up to Highland Park to see this exhibit. Highland Park's about 60 miles due north of us and to get there we had to drive the length of Chicago--through the city which is something we rarely do. When we got to Highland Park, it was very crowded--they were having a festival. A helpful policeman directed us around the festivities and on to a quieter area of town, only a couple of blocks away, where the Highland Park Historical Museum is. And we found a parking spot right in front!

The exhibit isn't huge, but it was well worth the drive. For the $5 entry fee, we got to watch a taped interview with Ms Davis, tour the house and the displays, and received a brochure with discounts at local shops and restaurants.

The display was primarily the work of Ms Davis. There are a couple of traditional quilts, some very Victorian looking crazy quilts, but most of Ms Davis's quilts are more collages. They are very creative and use all sorts of interesting embellishments. She uses traditional cigar and cigarette silks, seam embellishment, buttons, and embroideries but also embroidered patches, lace doilies and hankys, vintage pins an jewelry, appliques and just about anything you can attach to fabric!

The overall effect, though, is well thought out, balanced and charming.

Each time I walked by a quilt, I saw something new.

One surprise for me is the exquisite traditional-looking Native American beading she did. Several pieces and garments were on display.

The exhibit is accompanied by an exhibit of crochet doilies and antique crochet books and tools. A small gift shop has some lovely books, hand made needlebooks and ribbon roses, a selection of quilting supplies, fabrics and beads. The beads were from Chelsea Beads, also in Highland Park.

We drove back down Route 41. We hadn't taken it for at least ten years and they had changed the way the route ran quite a bit. Our memory had it running much closer to Lake Michigan and coming into Lake Shore Drive at the beginning. Most of the time on the new route we were a couple of miles inland and joined up with the Drive much further south than we expected. This way was less congested and we drove through interesting neighborhoods along the way.

This exhibit is conjunction with the Northern Illinois Quilt Fest. If you're in the area, this exhibit, wihch runs through September 30th, is well worth a visit.

Not much to show this week

2011-08-25T18:43:00.002-05:00

I'm working diligently on a number of projects I can't show yet...mostly the summer challenge for Homewood Guild. Our project this year was to use a playing card as inspiration for a needlework piece. I drew the 10 of clubs and wasn't very inspired. Now I have an idea and hope I can get it done. I also have other things I'm doing to get ready for Homewood's September meeting and some gifts for the holidays underway.
Last weekend I did work in the mornings on my Japanese embroidery piece. It's getting there...but I see something I will be ripping next time I take it out.

I stitched the last of the "pinks," the partial pink toward the bottom, and that one petal just sticks out like a sore thumb. I kind of saw it at the end of the day and wondered, but it took seeing it in the photograph to know. I also completed a lot more stems and the padding for the blue and white cording. Boy, that petal really bugs me!

I find that with almost any project I'm working on (paper, paint or cloth) a photograph, in particular a black and white photograph, will really show me how a design is working. It's a great reality check.

I have a little cluster of clover leaves and stems toward the middle to complete, the blue and white cording, the "trim" on and around the brown "paper" holding the flowers and the final cording that goes over the top of the paper. I'm most worried about keeping a nice curve on that last bit of superimposed cording.

Orphan Auto Picnic

2011-08-24T18:34:00.000-05:00

Sunday was the "Orphan Auto Picnic" organized by the Chicagoland Corvair Enthusiasts. As always it was great fun. This is one car show I like because it's at a fairgrounds that's shady and pleasant, no matter how hot it is. We had gorgeous weather Sunday and I really enjoyed the day out.

I'm not much of a car person, not like hubby. So I generally pick something to observe. This time it was fenders and hubcaps. The cars are all polished up bright and many have cool hubcaps.

I'm in the corner of the hubcap above

and in the fender here.

Of course, if there's a textile around, I'll find it. This hand-quilted banner features a photo of the car on it. It was nicely done and fun to see.

After I cruise the cars, I generally bring a project to sit in the shade and work on. We see friends there and sometimes family. It's free and a great family event (free snowcones!)

a finish

2011-08-23T17:25:00.000-05:00

I felted the entrelac tote this weekend and added handles.

The handles are sale handles from Homestead Heirlooms and came as a complete kit with handles, waxed thread and buttons for the back for security.

I haven't decided if I'm going to line it or add a closure of some sort. It's pretty thick.

First I put it in a mesh "delicates" bag and washed it in the washer in hot water with a load of towels. (the delicates bag helps keep the excess wool from clogging my washer.) I tossed it into the drier with the towels. Then I refelted it by hand on my little scrub board, alternating hot and cold soapy water. That's what really felts it, I think--the back and forth shock between hot and cold. I can also work more on areas I want thickest, like those top points. Then back into the drier.

The first felting in the washer "shrunk" the bag quite a bit. The hand felting made it a bit shorter but the width of the bag stayed pretty much the same as after the first felting. I always find it interesting how uneven felting can be--I'd think with entrelac's bias it would be more even overall.

Crewel Friday

2011-08-19T13:16:00.001-05:00

Some slow progress. I did not like the wussy pale yellow French knots I'd done in the upper right square so I removed them and put in bold red lazy daisy stitches. I'm still not thrilled but happier.

Then I stitched two more squares. I'm not thrilled with the one on the right but it's okay.

I'm still reading my various books. A new one arrived this week on English Embroidery. I'm feeling pretty firmly entrenched in the 17th century right now.

I found a wonderful online embroidery resource at the Folger Shakespeare Library: The Trevelyon Miscellany of 1608. Thomas Trevelyon. This book is amazing and I've just skimmed the surface. It has a wealth of embroidery patterns, geometric designs, illustrations, portraits, alphabets, astrology and astronomy.

In particular I love the repeat patterns and the many designs for elaborately embroidered caps, like this one I photographed at the V&A this spring.

wooly stuff

2011-08-18T18:52:00.000-05:00

Thisis my third completed rectangle for my office's project for Warm Up America. This is my version of afghan crochet (I've read instructions in the past, but I didn't have any handy, so I made it up as I crocheted along--I don't think it's quite like the instructions said but I'm okay with it).

This is the front.

And this is the back--I think I like it better than the front. Variegated yarns are great motivators--I always want to see how the colors will come out in the next row.

I finished knitting the entrelac "use up the leftover yarn" tote. It has more comprehensible shape now. I plan to begin felting it this weekend.

Not been doing much stitching...

2011-08-17T18:39:00.000-05:00

Saturday was a family party. Here are all the girls (no pix of the boys). My, my sister, niece #1, niece #2 and sister-in-law. The party was in honor of niece #2, just returned from several years in Japan and celebrating her 25th birthday. Now she's job hunting and settling with her husband into their home.

Evicence of my sister's green thumb. (I love the foot that crept into the photo)

Niece #2 brought this book back from Japan for me. It's from Kurenai Kai (Japanese Embroidery School) (I am sooo jealous!) It's a pattern book.

As I said in the title, not much embroidery (at least that I can show). I did make this Kanzashi pin for my sister's birthday (belated, as usual).

And I took my avocado "dyed" fabric out of the jar. I didn't see any change at all from the last time I stuck the fabric in a jar with avocado pits in boiling water. sigh. No bright colors on my silk. I'm going to let it sit a few days then iron it then wash it and iron it again. It's got a bit more color than this photo shows. Two tints of pale peach. For now the pits are going into the food-waste bin.

Camp Quality

2011-08-16T18:21:00.002-05:00

Camp Quality was Friday. The weather was beautiful. The kids were great!

This is pretty much what it feels like--a blur as campers wait for instruction and we try and sort things out and get class going.

We had a great group of students stop by.

A proud camper with his finished letter.

After camp a couple of friends and I went to Yarns to Dye For & More in Frankfort. I got this very interesting ribbony mesh "yarn" to make a flouncy scarf. I had several rows knit but decided it would take too much of the fancy yarn so I ripped it out and began alternating it with plain yarn. The more spaced-out flounces show up better. After stocking up on yarn, we had lunch at the Pickwick Society Tearoom a couple of blocks away. Lunch was very good. On the way back to the car we poked into a few of the shops that line Frankfort's streets.

Crewel Friday

2011-08-12T06:40:00.000-05:00

Here are some of my line stitches and my first two fillings. I'm not thrilled with the one on the right. The one on the left is actually a Japanese pattern--tie-die effect. Now that I've shown I can do the laid ground, I think I'm going to do the rest of the fillings without the stitched ground. It'll go a lot faster.

And I began the second pocket. I made notes on what I want where and then used some of the plain and wrapped line stitches for the stems.

I'm also still reading. I'm trying to be more focused and transcribing some notes and quotes into a Word file to use to write up something. The more I read, the more amazed I am that at a time of all of this very fine and delicate silk and metal thread embroidery, these huge wool designs were stitched. I wonder if some stitchers made both, like I would...the fine work when I have time, energy and good light and the large, useful (mostly bedhangings remain) wool designs when I need a change of pace.

Today is Camp Quality. I'm off with the kids and our nautical flag project.

More avocado experiments

2011-08-10T18:31:00.000-05:00

In the summer we eat a lot of avocados and I've been saving the pits.

For my first experiment, I just left them on the counter to dry. This time I froze them in quarters. The color in the pits is a lot brighter. I also peeled them but I'm not sure if this is good or bad. One that I froze unpeeled was a lot brighter than the others when I did peel it (upper left). I hope the brighter color in the pits translates into stronger color on the silk. My first try is here. I'm not using the old silk crepe this time--it's just too fragile.

Here are my filled jars. I wrapped the avocado pieces in the silk from my first try and stuffed it into the jars and poured in boiling water. I'm hoping for a more mottled effect rather than an overall color. They're stewing on the back porch right now...Perhaps the silk will become folded flowers.

a bit of stitching

2011-08-09T18:21:00.000-05:00

A lot of what I'm doing now is for upcoming Homewood Embroidery Guild programs that I can't share yet, but I did get some other stitching done last week...

I went to the First-Thursday Japanese embroidery class and finished all of my Iris leaves, the last of the Valerian stems and one clover leaf.

This is what I did in the hospital waiting room. It looks like a lump of yarn now but in the end it will be (yet) another felted entrelac bag. I'm using up leftovers from the large tote, shown here.

On our girls' day out last week, I got two Clover tools for making Kanazashi, folded Japanese flowers. I got some pink hemp-leaf patterned cotton (a traditional Japanese pattern) to use to try them out. I added felt leaves and buttons from my stash. The thread's still attached because I still need to add pin backs to them. The round petal flower was quicker and easier than the pointed one, but they really were pretty quick and easy. Clover's instructions are good.

Busy Week

2011-08-04T18:40:00.001-05:00

This has been a very busy week. Hubby had minor surgery on Monday, came home Tuesday. He's fine, going crazy healing (which is a good sign). All's well.

Yesterday we had a great girls' day out. Today was Japanese embroidery. In between all of this, the only photos I have are from our day yesterday.

We had these yummy cupcakes in Wasco, Il (I can't remember the name of the coffee shop--they were really nice and the cupcakes were great!) Below is Nancy modeling her new lacy beaded sweater. It is really sweet.

We had a great lunch at Rx Cafe in St. Charles, IL--tapas! Then we visited Wool and Company (almost next door to the Cafe, Designer's Desk in nearby Geneva, then we drove over to Lisle to visit Pieceful Heat Fabrics. We browsed and bought (mostly me). I got threads for a needlepoint project, sock yarn for a friend and as a gift, and Clover templates to make folded flowers.

Here's a closeup of the sweater with the beaded yoke.

These sweet treats from Japan were provided by ...

My niece who is finally back from a few years in Japan--a new addition to our Girls' Days!

Somewhat Crewel Friday

2011-07-29T07:39:00.005-05:00

I've been working pretty diligently. I've been reading all of the library books--bouncing from book to book, I've stitched a bit on my sampler--nothing much to show, some lines and two laid stitch squares to be overlaid with filling stitches, and I've begun working on the second pocket, mostly the buttonhole stitch opening. That last is what I'm going to discuss here.

Above is the diagram I used for my first pocket opening. It is from the "technical and miscellaneous hints" section at the end of Mary Thomas's Embroidery Book. It is called a Tailor's Buttonhole. I found it difficult to keep the "purls" even and very hard to keep the plain edge even--unlike most blanket stitches, with this stitch you come UP at the plain edge. I finally stitched a split stitch row along this edge and it helped a lot. This is also the stitch diagramed in the 1913 8th edition of Needlework and Cutting Out by Walter and Strachan (I posted the cover last week).

This Tailor's Buttonhole stitch is from Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches. It's in the main section of the book and is quite a different stitch--a basic blanket stitch with an extra wrap around the needle. This one was much easier to do, although I still had trouble making even "purls." This one also went much faster.

Below are several pattern sheets from two of my library books, both by Louisa F. Pesel: English Embroideries I: Double Running or Back Stitch and English Embroideries II: Cross Stitch. Ms Pesel drew the designs from antique samplers (mostly 17th Century) and embroideries from museum and private collections. The charts are hand drawn.

The first two are from book I and the last one from book II.

These books didn't do much to further my research into crewel embroidery but I'm glad I was able to read them and scan some pages for inspiration.

Ms Pesel encouraged stitchers to take it and make it their own, to be creative.

She also was enthusiastic about encouraging English style and techniques, pointing out that the Danes had Hedebo, the Italians Assisi, etc. She felt the British had a long and illustrious history of embroidery to build on and was concerned about the loss of this in the future.

Both books were published in the early 1930s.

An interesting publishing note: these were British books by a British author, "made and printed" in Great Britain by Morrison and Gibb Ltd., Tanfield Edinburgh--but published by the Manual Arts Press of Peoria, Illinois. So far I haven't found out anything about the company except they seemed to be a prolific publisher of books on manual arts and crafts in the early 1930s. I'm intrigued.

Movies

2011-07-28T18:12:00.000-05:00

We've seen an unusual number of movies this summer. We go to the discount matinees, usually the first show around noon. Often the theater is nearly empty.

Of course, the most awaited one was the final Harry Potter. We went first thing on Saturday of the week it opened (and the theater was far from empty). I was a bit anxious and pleased to find that while they condensed the story quite a bit, they got in all the important bits.

They got it right.

We prefer science fiction/fantasy/fun movies. Not too graphic (in the violence sense). Marvel comics, Jackie Chan, sometimes Disney. Over the past few weeks we've enjoyed Green Lantern and

Captain America.

And we're looking forward to Cowboys and Aliens.

It's nice and cool in the theater.

Finished object, WIP and gift

2011-07-27T17:54:00.000-05:00

I think I may have been overwhelmed by all of the books on Friday because I just kind of shut down for a bit on Saturday. A four-hour long nap helped. And a total change of pace.

I purchased the kit to make this felt cake-slice box from Sun Felt a couple of years ago at the International Quilt Festival in Chicago and it had been sitting, waiting all this time.

I had completed the white cake slice right away. So I dug it out and stitched it on Saturday. They come ready to stitch with all materials, including a nice box to hold the completed cake slice.

The instructions used a lot of glue but I just can't mange glue neatly so I stitched everything. I think they're fun and silly. I have materials and want to make some felt chocolates.

Since the weather was predicted to be bad, I figured I'd be staying in so I set up to stitch on the Japanese embroidery piece. I actually accomplished a lot (for me and JE). I padded and stitched the entire striped cord loop at the top of the brown paper on Saturday morning. On Sunday I stitched the more central of the two "pinks" (which are orange and white) along with the two leaves just to the right of it. Bit by bit it's getting done. I also made up my white velvet pillow, used to dust and clean the piece as part of the finishing process (or anytime you feel your piece needs a bit of a dusting).

Last, but far from least, hubby found this lovely little crocheted hat pin cushion at an antique shop as a gift for me. It's small enough I may add a pin back and wear it. I have a couple of them and I made one (much larger) for a pin cushion so I guess that's a collection.

more books

2011-07-26T17:37:00.000-05:00

I recently pulled my copy of this book off the bookshelf to review something or other and found a delight inside (beyond the contents of the book, which never cease to inspire).

I'd saved a couple of pages from the Aardvark Territorial Enterprise from California from the 80s. This company was a delight--they put out a newspaper/catalog full of amazing odds and ends (it's where I first learned about the fun that could be had with sequin waste, shisha mirrors), commentary, designs and general enthusiasm for needlework. It really helped me expand my boundaries and realize that you can often find embroidery materials or inspiration in the most unlikely places--it opened my eyes!

The clippings brought back wonderful memories of a wonderful time and person. I used to pour over each issue as it arrived and I used to have many copies saved. Sadly, I can't remember the owner's name. I do remember she died suddenly in a car accident and while her daughter tried hard, I think the owner was the heart and soul of the business.

Do any of you remember Aardvark?

I am excited! Crewel Friday...

2011-07-22T06:26:00.000-05:00

A research librarian I consulted downstairs (thanks, Connie!) found this book in our library collection: "English Crewel Embroidery Motives and Stitchery of the Seventeenth and Early Eighteenth Centuries" by Miriam Sollau McCurdy. It is an unpublished (as far as I can tell) dissertation for a Master's degree from December 1935. It's at home, full of post-it notes, so I don't have a picture of it (not much to look at, it's a plain cover with a bound, typed manuscript.) One great part of the manuscript is its bibliography. I'm so excited.

This book is much more visual.

It's one of the eight (yes, eight!) books I found in our library collection that were mentioned in the dissertation bibliography. I'm in book heaven!

This book is aimed at teaching children in the classroom practical knitting and sewing. It is from 1914; the original edition is from 1897. It is full of "drills" with very specific instructions and steps for both the teacher and student--how to put on a thimble, thread a needle, pick up and hold the fabric. It's very nicely illustrated with red and black drawings. With it's two-color printing and many illustrations, I'm sure this book was quite cutting edge in its time.

I love this needlework apron. In the back there's a lovely fold out for making a sewing sampler with tucks, gathers, bands, gussets and tapes. It includes a scalloped embroidered edging, darning, patching, cross stitch marking and some embroidery. A whole lot of the book is about mending, darning and patching. I think we need to get back to that reuse-it mindset.

My scan of this book came out with the top cut off. It is "English Decorative Fabrics of the 16th-18th Centuries" by A. F. Kendrick, published in 1934. It smells like book--not musty, but like, well, book.

I love that smell.

The book is on heavy paper with big type (my eyes are happy). Half is text and half black and white photographs, many from private collections. I've already found some good material.

Three more books arrived on my desk late today. There is a two volume set, "Patterns in Western Europe: 1180-1900," by Joan Evans and published in 1931. The index shows some promising listings. For visual reference, I borrowed "Chinese Art: An Introductory Handbook to Painting, Sculpture, Ceramics, Textiles, Bronzes and Minor Arts" by a whole bunch of people (Fry is the first name) and published in 1935--just in time to be a reference for the thesis.

I haven't been stitching this week--it's been a busy week so far--I've had two evening guild planning meetings. Two visiting scholars arrived from China to work with one of our faculty members on translating a book he's writing. They've made my life very interesting--in a good way. And I'm being dripped on by our over-worked air conditioning system. Hopefully that will be remedied tomorrow by some sealing tape. (I noticed the building engineer didn't say duct tape, but I'm sure that's what it is.) It's still very hot here.

Splurge!

2011-07-21T18:48:00.001-05:00

Recently while cleaning I found a couple unused Border's Gift Certificates (one of the benefits of occasionally sorting through the piles!). I knew I'd be going by a Borders one evening on the way to a meeting so I tossed them into my purse.

Making is a British magazine I discovered on my trip to London. It's young and has interesting projects for all types of crafting and needlework. They're often simple projects (but not "dumbed down"), in classic style and nicely done. (I think Europeans tend to give more credit to their audiences than many American publications do (or did--many are gone now).

Just in time, it looks like, because Monday they announced they were closing and I was told our local store would be gone by Friday. I'll be sad to see them go but in reality I didn't often go into one--mostly in an attempt not to spend too much money on books.

I never checked to see if Molly Makes is British or Australian; I think British--this was a new find. It has projects similar to those in Making in that they're young and modern, but it has a style of it's own. I love all of the strawberry emeries--and also the descriptive box that explains the original purpose and need for the emery.

Selvedge is one of my all-time favorites but usually too expensive for my budget ($25 per issue). Somewhat like Piecework with a more modern focus, the articles cover all types of textile and fashion related companies, designers, designs and art. I love the style of the magazine--it's worth it just for the wonderful ads.

I love magazines and I used to subscribe to quite a few but I've decided to cut down on paper flowing into the house and also on paper I'm storing. So I've let most of them lapse and I do miss having something to browse on weeknights when I'm too tired to stitch.

Stitch is an American publication. It's focused on sewing and features great design along with some interesting articles.

So, I stocked up and used up my certificates (and a bit more!) and had a great time both shopping and then browsing through my finds.

Victoria's a more common newsstand item here--I can find it most places. It is a revival of a brand that closed a number of years ago and I've been enjoying it. It's not a "keeper" but some of the articles are interesting and the recipes always sound yummy. It's very relaxing, full of lovely photographs of beautiful things and places.

finishing up

2011-07-20T17:33:00.000-05:00

I spent much of the weekend indoors (out of the heat) finishing things up. I ripped back the lace hat to leave only two body repeats and then reknit the top for more of a cap. As it was it covered about half of my ears--either too short or two long. So I made it shorter. Now it's just above my ears.

I spent a lot of time lacing the back of "Remembrance" (see previous post), covering the back with fabric, and adding clear beads to the fringe. It really doesn't look much different from the front but it feels finished now. I added a buttonhole loop for a hanger--the piece is as light as a feather.

And I felted the entrelac diamond tote. First in the washing machine and drier with hot water and a load of towels, then by hand with my scrub board. I worked in the basement tub and was soaked by the time I was done but, as I mentioned, it's very hot here. The finished tote is bulgier than I'd expected--I don't know why because when I looked at the picture, it didn't have the straight sides I'd expected. The colors of the wool ran, which surprised me given it was a kit and tested with those materials. I'm okay with it though. It's finally dry and ready to use. And it's BIG!
The photo's outlined because I've been having Photoshop woes. Hopefully now fixed. I couldn't crop.

No crewel this Friday

2011-07-15T07:14:00.000-05:00

Sometimes a project just takes over and when it goes well and comes together it's a joy.

This pieced named itself Remembrance about half-way through. It began in early June. We were at the cemetery, after Memorial Day and after some storms. The "silk" flowers placed on many of the graves had blown over, been wind and water swept and many had also been mowed over by groundskeepers.

As we moved from place to place (we have a lot of people to visit at this cemetery), I noticed silk petals and fragments among the grass--bits of pink, yellow and blue. And I began picking them up. By the time we left I had a small collection of fabric petals.

After a bit of a wash I contemplated what to do with them. I'd been wanting to experiment with running stitch and quilting, similar to Kantha from India, and I've been inspired by Jude's whispering. I pinned them to an old hand towel with a knit lace edging but decided I wanted more layers and the towel shape just didn't feel right, so put them away again. I liked the idea of a sheer fabric over the flowers.

A couple of weeks ago I wanted some silk for avocado dyeing so I went over to Vogue Fabrics. I thought I might find a sheer there, too. I found my silk but their sheers were all polyester and nylon. I always browse their remnants bin and I found a cotton lawn lurking in there (maybe batiste or voile...I can't tell)--not quite a sheer as I'd been thinking but I really liked it's softness. In the same bin was some pale green flannel--the perfect background. Both remnants were quite large, so no struggling to fit the size.

My washed remnant pieces sat there, in my way, for a couple of weeks until I chose a general size and hacked off a couple of pieces that would fit and put the rest away. (Actually, the rest of the green flannel is on it's way to becoming a baby blanket with a crochet edging).

I spent some time laying my flower bits onto the flannel--it's slight nap held them nicely in place. I was looking for a general size and shape, thinking about stitching patterns and finishing. Suddenly, I realized a Gothic arch would be the perfect shape for what I was trying to do. I cut one from paper for a pattern and traced it onto both of my fabrics. I arranged the flowers one last time, added the lawn on top and pinned it with many pins. I decided that my running stitches would mimic the arch. I wasn't sure how to begin the thread so I just left the end dangle while I began to stitch, figuring I'd end it later. But I decided I liked the dangling thread, so I left all the ends to dangle. I'm going to add clear beads to the threads.

The stitching took only a few hours and the flowers, only dimly seen before the quilting, became more clear (they are really visible when the fabric is damp but I decided not to experiment with mediums or sprays that would perhaps keep that wet effect).

I cut a piece of foam core to shape and have taped the fabric to it. It needs a better finish along with the beads. I plan to pin it along the edges of the foamcore to stabilize the embroidery on the backing and then I can trim, stitch and lace the fabric to the foamcore.

I'm not sure if I'll cut a second piece of foamcore or cardboard and cover it, stitch it to the back and apply an edging or if I'll stitch a cloth backing over the laced piece--I rather like the soft edge it has now so the latter is my current preference. I also need to consider what sort of hanging device I'll add to the back.

So, it's not quite done. For me, however, this piece came together quickly--it was so nice how things seemed to fall into place without the usual experiments, ripping and struggles.

Steam-Power Festival

2011-07-14T19:22:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday was a lovely summer day, hot, but there were breezes. We went to the 27th Annual Antique Power and Steam Show. Not to much steam there this year, and not as many people as years past, but it was a very nice show. Here's a kiddie ride that went on all day, winding and snaking around the fairgrounds. Each little barrel car has a steering wheel.

There was a petting zoo, flea market, pie kitchen, and, our favorite, the Parade of Power. Each year they feature a company. This year was Ford and Fordson tractors and Briggs & Stratton engines. We like to wander around the displays of small and hand-crafted engines that go pockety-pockey; tick, tick, hiss; wheet; click, click click clack--they each have their own noise and it's rarely regular. To me it's the sound of summer.

We got a shady spot in the bleachers to watch the parade of power. The churned up area in the middle was from the kiddie and adult tractor pulls. We saw the kiddie winner brandishing his large trophy.

This tiny tractor in front is an antique miniature, but even lawn tractors and mowers are welcome and they come from all over, some several hundred miles. The parade goes on for about an hour, perhaps, with each machine's make, model, year and driver announced.

We ate in the main pavilion where there was a live singer providing music. I ate from "Spud and Moo"--baked potatoes. I got chili and cheese on mine. I think I like the British "jacket potato" better--just seems a lot more classy than spud. But then, spud does fit the event and venue!

Inside the arts building is a large model railroad, bee keepers with honey and a table where you can make beeswax candles, tool displays, wood workers, a raffle quilt, and this year a display of toy tractors. Or so I thought. If you look closely you can see the bodies are all old sewing machines! I missed it but hubby caught it. He used a couple of old Electrolux vacuum cleaners, too.

I thought it was very clever.

Odds 'n ends

2011-07-13T19:10:00.000-05:00

Here are the results from my attempt at avocado dyeing.

I wrapped the fabric around quartered pieces of the seed, tossed in some dry peel, crammed it into canning jars and filled them with boiling water. They sat out, oh, four days or so. The bottom two pieces are new silk dupioni. The bottom one is a pale peach, nicer than the photo, the top one didn't take on much color at all. The top piece is a piece of antique silk crepe that is pretty shattered. It took the most color but only in a few places. It's so fragile I'm not sure what I can do with it.

I have rinsed these but not washed them; ironed them damp with a hot iron. I should probably wash them but I'll wait a while. Perhaps time will help set the color.

I believe the purple color came from fresh pits. Most of the pits I had were dried. So, to try number two, to redo the two new silks, I'm chopping the pits into quarters and freezing them. Perhaps that will help keep the color. Good thing we eat a lot of avocados!

Not much else going on that I can show. I'm working on models and ideas for Homewood Guild projects for next year. I made up some more felt nautical flags for Camp Quality models and passed them on to the crafts director. I finished the knit entrelac diamond bag to be felted--I'm about halfway done with the second handle and then I can felt it all. It still looks like a formless lump. I'm working on my summer challenge project for Homewood, which I can't show until September. I crocheted a few more rows on my Legal Loopers charity rectangle. So I'm busy but nothing to show for it (yet).

Scottie

2011-07-12T19:10:00.000-05:00

A while back I found a box of things that had been my mother-in-law's. Some old toy and doll clothes patterns, a couple of cut out doll-dresses in pale yellow, and the cut out pieces and floss for this red and black Scottie dog.

I would guess the doggie was for my husband, the doll dresses for his older sister's dolls. He said his mother liked Scottie dogs. It is very 50s and very nice wool felt.

So this weekend I assembled the dog. I asked hubby about eyes and he said he didn't remember button eyes but thought they were felt or stitched on, so that's what I did.

I kept a couple of the patterns and gave away the rest. We'll be keeping this Scottie dog for now.